Heating unit



Nov. 17, 1931.. w. H. HEMSDORF HEATING UNIT Filed Feb. 1'7, 1950 Lby Zlfztness:

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFl'cE WALTER H. HERMSDORF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 S. E. G. INCORPORATED, 0F CHICAGO,4 ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F DELA- WARE HEATING UNIT Application led February 17, 1930. Serial No. 429,067.

This invention relates to improvements in a heating unit, and refers more particularly to the housing of a heating element in such a manner as to prevent'direct exposure of the i heating element proper to the outside of the unit.

It is frequently found desirable, particularly When heating uids of a combustible nature, to impart a predetermined amount of heat to said fluid Without subjecting the fluid to a degree of heat which would cause combustion. One particular instance which may be cited 'occurs Where it is desired, in the generation of fa combustible gas by the admixture of al combustible liquid and air, to heat the air before the same is admixed with the liquid. Inasmuch as the admixture of the air and liquid usually takes place in the space de- "voted to the storage of the resultant gas, and since this gas is highly combustible it Would be extremely dangerous to heat the air in the vicinity of the point of admixture by means of, for instance, an electrical heating element, if there were even the remotest possibility of accidental shortingjof the 'heating element and it Were exposed directly to the atmosphere of the combustible gas.

Accordingly, one of the important features of the present invention resides in the provision of meansvfor heating a stream of air, Which is subsequently to be admixed with combustible liquid, in suclr a manner that even though the heating element per se Were shorted, the resulting excessive heat Would not be transmitted directly to the combustible gas. The invention briefly described comprises a plate Which may be adapted to be mounted over an opening provided in a tank used for purposes of gas generation and/or storage. A housing may depend from the said plate into the interior of the tank, which housing may contain a-substantially non-combustible liquid or other substantially non-combustible medium having good heat conducting properties. A tube closed at one end and open at the other may dependfrom the surface of the said plate into the interior of the housing, the closedend ofthe tube extending down- 50 Wardly. An electrical heating element of conventional design may be inserted in said tube through the open end thereof. The air pipe leading into the gas generating zone may pass through the plate, through the ma;- terial contained in the housing and through the bottom of the housing discharging into the interior of the tank in the vicinity of the combustible liquid discharge nozzle, also disposed Within the tank. Thus, the air in its for use in connection with a. combustible. gas

generating system, as hereinbefore described, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to this specific application thereof, since the invention in its broadest concept contemplates the provision of novel means for imparting heat to a specific medium Without maintaining direct Contact between the heatingmeans per se and the medium to be heated.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detail description.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, illustrating particularly, the assembled heating unit.

, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device as shown in Fig. l. i

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 indicates a portion of the top of a tank-or receptable for the storage and/or generation of combustible gas, or the like. The Wall 1 of the tank may be provided with an aperture 2 which may be circular in shape, .or of any other contour desired. A plate 3 may be eccentrically disposed above the aperture 2 and may be provided With a depending shoulder 4. The plate 3 may be fastened to form a fluid-tight closure over the aperture 2 b means of bolts, rivets or like fasteners 5. housing 6 may be mounted upon the under side of the plate 3, the arrangement being such that the upper portion of the housing may encircle and abut the shoulder 4. In mounting the housing upon the said shoulder the same may be welded, shrunk upon, or attached thereto in any suitable manner. The lower portion of the housing may be closed, as shown at 7 in Fig. 1.

The plate 3 may be apertured to receive a closed-end tube 8, which extends downwardly from the said plate into the interior of the housing 6. The upper exterior portion of the tube 8 may be provided with threads 9 which are adapted to co-act with registering threads provided on the defining edge of the aperture in the plate. The upper end of the tube 8 vmaybe formed in the shape of a polygonal nut 10 to facilitate the ready mounting of the same in the plate. Y

An electrical heating element 11 ofconventional design may be positioned Vwithin the tube 8 and may be provided with threads 12 which are adapted to cooperate with threads 13 formed on the inner surface of the tube 8. In this manner the element 11 may be firmly 'retained within the tube 8. Electric current may be passed to the elementI 11 by means of .the conductors 14.

In the type of combustible gas generators wherein airl under pressure is mixed with a combustible liquid in a closed zone, due to 3, the compartment formed by the housing 6 and the closure 7 and discharge within the vtank 1 at a point adjacent a combustible liquid conveying pipe 16, which ,may also pass through the plate 3. The compartment formed by the housing 6 may be filled with a liquid of a substantially non-combustible character, such as water, heavy 'oil or the like 17, said liquid being introduced through aperture 18 provided in plate 3 and nor' mally closed by plug 19.

It can readily be seen that when the heating element 11 is properly energized the heat therefrom will pass to the tube 8, the material 17 and thereby heat the air passing through the pipe 15. In this manner freezing of the moisture entrainedin the incoming-air will be revented.

f desired, the energization of the heating 'element 11 may be automatically controlled to take place simultaneously with the introduction of air and liquid to the tank 1. For

instance, a motor (not shown) may be utilized to drive the pressure establishing agencies (not shown) which force the liquid and air through the pipes 16 and 15, respectively, into the tank 1. If this is the case, the conductors 14 may be connected in the motor circuit in such a manner that when the motor is in operation the element 11 is heated, whereas when the motor is shut down the 4heater circuit will be opened. In this manner current will be used by the element 11 only when the gas generator is in operation,

the only period in which the application of heat is desirable.

For the purpose of safety, if desired, a conventional temperature control device (not shown) may be associated with the element 11 which may be adjusted to prevent the temperature of said element exceeding a predetermined maximum.

rounding the tank 1 plays an important part( in the freezing of the liquid in the air pipe and hence is a factor in determining the size of the heating unit.

I am aware that many modifications of my device may be constructed without departing.; 105

from the spirit of the invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited except as necessitated by the prior art. v

I claim as my invention:

1. An atomizing structure comprising in;

combination, a liquid conveying pipe and an air conveying pipe from which streams of liquid and air issue and intersect, means for indirectly heating the air conveying pipe and the air passing through said air conveying pipe comprising an enclosed housing through which the air conveying pipe projects, a heat conducting material contained in said housing and a heating element positioned in said enclosed housing for imparting heat to said heat conducting material.

2. A structure for atomizing combustible liquid with air, comprising in combination spaced pipes for conveying combustible liquid and air from which streams issue and intersect, and means adjacent the point of intersection of said streams for imparting heat to the air conveying pipe and the air passing through said air conveying pipe, comprising an enclosed receptacle through which the air It is apparent that herein is provided a.

WALTER H. HERMSDORF. 

